Sorry your ankle got busted. Lucky for me, your fine TR took my mind off of a bad day of work and briefly put me into the mountains. Good luck on a speedy recovery.
Hope you are healing up well Michael, and I enjoyed your writing.
The pic on the front page of SP for this TR is of an ice partner of mine, K. Chaltikian, leading the Main wall in February 2005. How did this pic get used for your trip report ?
Always recycle. Especially, when you get paid by the word... I guess the really bad trips are the ones you can't write about.
Fuggedaboudit - Mar 31, 2006 11:37 pm - Hasn't voted
First leader fall on ice is now out of the way!Those screws work afterall!
Hope you are healing well. Also took first leader fall recently. Took a leader fall about 15 feet above hanging belay at Lake Whiloughby end of Feb this year. Trying to mantle a bulge with both tools too close to each other. Ended up hanging about 15 feet upside down under my belayer. Belayer was belaying with reversino off his harness. BIG fall factor on three 19" screws in good ice, absolutely no effect on the screws or surrounding a ice as per my partner. All belayer got was a tap on his helmet.
No serious boo-boos.
A. Good to get THAT out of the way!!
B. Those screws really do work!!
C. Did I mention its good to get that out of the way?
Michael, I'm curious how you fell - tools sheared through thin ice, hooked around something sketchy, dinner plate came off, arms flamed out and you were leashless, etc? Did you have a screamer on the screw that held the big fall, were you using a single or double ropes? I must say I can't believe you kept climbing after your first fall and didn't retreat, you're obviously very brave! Very lucky you had good ice for the screw that held... after having climbed pitches with near-zero opportunity for protection, putting it together with your trip report is terrifying... Wish you a speedy recovery and not to do it again!
I'd blame the falls on thin, brittle ice on the bulges with poor foot placements--and the general fact that I suck at climbing. (I think I see why vertical front points are popular on WI; note to self: buy some). I had a screamer on one of the screws but it didn't pull. Single rope. Brave and stupid are kissing cousins.
SJD - Mar 30, 2006 5:57 am - Voted 10/10
Ouch!Sorry your ankle got busted. Lucky for me, your fine TR took my mind off of a bad day of work and briefly put me into the mountains. Good luck on a speedy recovery.
MichaelJ - Mar 30, 2006 6:49 am - Hasn't voted
ThanksCast comes off in five days.
rhyang - Mar 30, 2006 3:41 pm - Voted 10/10
front page picHope you are healing up well Michael, and I enjoyed your writing.
The pic on the front page of SP for this TR is of an ice partner of mine, K. Chaltikian, leading the Main wall in February 2005. How did this pic get used for your trip report ?
MichaelJ - Mar 30, 2006 5:15 pm - Hasn't voted
picThanks, Rob. I was too busy falling to take any pics, so I guess the elves decided to use whatever was on hand of LV.
Matt K - Mar 30, 2006 7:59 pm - Voted 10/10
Thumbs upI always enjoy reading your stories. Good luck healing.
MichaelJ - Mar 31, 2006 1:45 am - Hasn't voted
ThanksBad trips often make for better trip reports...
Matt K - Mar 31, 2006 2:58 am - Voted 10/10
Sounds familiar...I've heard that before, but I just can't recall where....
For the record, I look back on that trip fondly and can only hope all future climbs are similar.
MichaelJ - Mar 31, 2006 5:04 am - Hasn't voted
Smart writers...Always recycle. Especially, when you get paid by the word... I guess the really bad trips are the ones you can't write about.
Fuggedaboudit - Mar 31, 2006 11:37 pm - Hasn't voted
First leader fall on ice is now out of the way!Those screws work afterall!Hope you are healing well. Also took first leader fall recently. Took a leader fall about 15 feet above hanging belay at Lake Whiloughby end of Feb this year. Trying to mantle a bulge with both tools too close to each other. Ended up hanging about 15 feet upside down under my belayer. Belayer was belaying with reversino off his harness. BIG fall factor on three 19" screws in good ice, absolutely no effect on the screws or surrounding a ice as per my partner. All belayer got was a tap on his helmet.
No serious boo-boos.
A. Good to get THAT out of the way!!
B. Those screws really do work!!
C. Did I mention its good to get that out of the way?
MichaelJ - Apr 1, 2006 12:02 am - Hasn't voted
Good fallGlad you were unhurt. As for my fall at least I learned an important lesson: A V-thread puller also makes a good scratcher for a leg in a cast.
pvalchev - Apr 2, 2006 10:16 pm - Hasn't voted
falls on iceMichael, I'm curious how you fell - tools sheared through thin ice, hooked around something sketchy, dinner plate came off, arms flamed out and you were leashless, etc? Did you have a screamer on the screw that held the big fall, were you using a single or double ropes? I must say I can't believe you kept climbing after your first fall and didn't retreat, you're obviously very brave! Very lucky you had good ice for the screw that held... after having climbed pitches with near-zero opportunity for protection, putting it together with your trip report is terrifying... Wish you a speedy recovery and not to do it again!
MichaelJ - Apr 3, 2006 6:04 am - Hasn't voted
fallenI'd blame the falls on thin, brittle ice on the bulges with poor foot placements--and the general fact that I suck at climbing. (I think I see why vertical front points are popular on WI; note to self: buy some). I had a screamer on one of the screws but it didn't pull. Single rope. Brave and stupid are kissing cousins.
kamil - Apr 6, 2006 8:06 pm - Voted 9/10
good story!hope you recover quickly :)
cheers,
kamil
MichaelJ - Apr 6, 2006 11:02 pm - Hasn't voted
Cast came off this weekAnkle still seems to work.